'We all have a heroic version of ourselves': Algonquin man pulls driver from wrecked car

Tyler-Eli Powles believes everyone has a heroic version of themselves.

His heroic version sprung into action after a car driving through his Algonquin neighborhood hit a tree and caught fire around 2:30 a.m. July 9.

“I heard a very loud explosion,” said Powles, who had just gone to bed when he heard the crash. “It sent a shock wave into my heart.”

He went outside to investigate and found a car had just hit his neighbor's sycamore tree and was now sitting in the 800 block of Oceola Drive with a small fire burning under the hood.

Powles immediately called 911 and grabbed two fire extinguishers from his home. He tried to put out the fire, but when he noticed the inside of the car was filling with smoke, he changed direction and began to smash the car window with the fire extinguisher to get the driver, whose door would not open, out of the car. After a few swings, he broke through the plastic film protecting the glass and used his hands to push open the window and reach the driver.

“He followed my arm out the window and took two big gulps of air. I told him, ‘We got to get out of here, buddy,'” Powles recalled, adding he pulled hard to get the man out of the car and to safety. “When I sat him on the pavement, the whole car just went fully engulfed in flames.”

Powles and neighbor Brenda Vodicka said flames from the car reached more than 20 feet into the air before firefighters extinguished the blaze.

“We feel so blessed to live next door to a hero,” Vodicka said.

The 28-year-old driver of the car was charged with driving under the influence and was transported to an area hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries, said Algonquin Police Deputy Chief Ryan Markham. He said Powles' quick action came at the right time.

“If he would've left the driver in the car, more than likely he would've been in there when it caught fire,” Markham said.

“He went above and beyond,” Markham added, referring to Powles.

The police department is reviewing Powles' action in consideration of a lifesaver award, Markham said.

Powles said he didn't think about what he was doing while hitting the driver's-side window with the fire extinguisher or when he used his hands to break through the glass to pull the driver out of the car.

“I feel like we all have a heroic version of ourselves that's just waiting for the opportunity to tune into that frequency and be guided by the energy,” he said. “It's just about tuning in and reacting.

“It was a pretty incredible experience for me,” he added. “It felt like I was living in a movie.”

Powles has spoken to the father of the driver. He is hoping to meet with the driver at some point.

“It was pretty traumatic for me,” he said. “So, I can only imagine what he's been through.”

Powles said he is treating a cut on his hand from pushing the glass from the window away but is otherwise fine.